Villette (version 2 Dramatic Reading)


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

(4.4 stars; 75 reviews)

After an unspecified family disaster, protagonist Lucy Snowe travels to the fictional city of Villette to teach at an all-girls school where she is unwillingly pulled into both adventure and romance. Summary by Wikipedia

Cast list:
Narrator: Mary J
Lucy Snowe: Elizabeth Barr
Graham/Dr. John: Robert Dixon
Monsieur Paul: Herman Roskams
Madame Beck: Elizabeth Klett
Polly/Paulina: Amanda Friday
Mrs. Bretton: Michele Eaton
Ginevra Fanshawe: Libby Gohn
Mr. Home/Bassompierre: tovarisch
Rosine [the portress]: Leanne
Mademoiselle St. Pierre [a teacher]: Kristin Gjerløw
Isabelle [a student]: Arie
Pere Silas: Malone
Young Lucy: WoollyBee
Thomas [a servant]: ToddHW
Georgette [Madame Beck's daughter]: Sarah Alaine Swart
Goton [Female Servant]: P. J. Morgan
Madame Walravens: Leanne
Harriet [Polly's nurse]: Victoria P
Miss Marchmont: Lucy Perry
Fifine [Madame Beck's daughter]: Kimberly Krause
Monsieur Rochemorte [a professor]: Ernst Pattynama
Josef Emmanuel: BeniaminoMassimo
Warren/London Waiter: ToddHW
Frank/de Hamal: bala
Mrs. Barrett/Mrs. Sweeney: Diana Majlinger
London Waterman/Custom House Man: Arnaldo Machado
Steward/Miret (a bookseller): KHand
Stewardess/Penitent: Julia Niedermaier
Dressmaker/Justine Marie: Sarah Alaine Swart
Edited by: Elizabeth Barr (21 hr 19 min)

Chapters

Dramatis Personae 2:20 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 1 16:33 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 2 14:38 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 3 36:15 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 4 22:26 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 5 12:14 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 6 29:24 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 7 22:33 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 8 37:10 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 9 26:13 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 10 17:22 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 11 17:06 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 12 27:58 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 13 25:50 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 14 1:11:23 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 15 32:11 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 16 35:33 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 17 21:53 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 18 17:14 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 19 30:51 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 20 47:15 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 21 42:51 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 22 22:01 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 23 33:12 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 24 32:42 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 25 33:13 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 26 37:55 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 27 39:06 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 28 31:54 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 29 35:52 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 30 27:56 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 31 29:05 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 32 21:07 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 33 22:07 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 34 30:49 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 35 32:45 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 36 39:39 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 37 38:24 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 38 1:07:19 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 39 31:02 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 40 16:09 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 41 39:40 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Chapter 42 10:35 Read by LibriVox Volunteers

Reviews

love story with twists & turns


(4 stars)

very good job done by the readers. but reader/listener beware, once you get to the section with lucy in the school - there is A LOT of french and it is not translated. you kind of have to just try to figure out what was said by the things that happen before and after. i roughly understand what happened around the french conversations, but i would have like knowing exactly what was said. this story seems predictable at points but there are twists and turns in every chapter, even the last. a lot is discussed about roman Catholics and protestants. and some long emotional drawn out speeches. but overall a good read, likely just the ladies will enjoy it. though there is a haunting nun subplot :-D


(5 stars)

Villette is a wonderful book. I love Jane Eyre first and foremost but this book is interesting and beautifully written. There are some parts that get a little boring not because of bad writing but just so much description. The ending leaves a little to be desired. Bronte lets you almost pick the ending. I do recommend this book. There is some French which you can gloss over or, in my case, I used Google translate.

Fav of the readings


(4 stars)

They did a great job reading: enjoyable voices, no background mouth sounds. I wish the French was translated. I like Jane Eyre best, but I can see why some say this might be the better written, more depth and storyline. Sometimes too much description that I couldn't place the subject to which it referred, but I don't know that I'm smart enough to appreciate it all either.

perfection!


(5 stars)

Glorious dramatic reading of Charlotte Bronte's lyrical tale of tribulations, triumphs, and true love. Cheers for Elizabeth Barr as the indomitable Lucy Snowe. what an extraordinary performance and voice of ringing clarity. All the reader-actors are superb. Mrs Breton, M. Emanuel, et al. I already want to relisten to a novel that I originally found difficult to read myself. Beautiful in every way.

I don't speak French


(4 stars)

Readers did wonderfully. I don't speak French so I was bored and missed a lot of the story at times. The readers kept me at this book with how well they acted it out but other than that not a favorite story

Unbearable


(0.5 stars)

This is a review of the audiobook, not the book itself. The reader constantly makes mistakes in the reading. If you read along with the audio you’ll spot it. And once you’ve realised, you can’t trust the reader anymore.


(5 stars)

Incredible descriptions and quotes throughout this book. The main reader is exceptional, and all the other readers are very good. The story has rounded, interesting characters that invite you to feel their plights and cheer on those who are deserving.

really enjoyable read


(5 stars)

wonderful to read another book by the same author as Jane Eyre. great reading if a little Stern, and I'm no French student, so some still remains a puzzle! Really enjoyed this long book!